Ofsted’s new independent complaints review service will be able to recommend reopening inspections when it finds the watchdog’s handling of a complaint was not “fair and reasonable”. The inspectorate has announced new details about the Independent Complaints Review (ICR) Service, which it says will add “greater independent oversight” when schools are unhappy with how Ofsted handled a complaint. It comes after Christine Gilbert’s independent review for Ofsted recommended it improve its complaints procedure and focus on “embedding an element of independent external oversight”. Ofsted said a pilot of the service will begin “shortly” and will run throughout this academic year. It comes after three unions have passed a vote of no confidence in Ofsted’s leadership in the past week. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders union NAHT, said the independent complaints service was “welcome” but that it “does nothing to deal with the fundamental issue that we have a framework that has failed in its own terms.” Inspector notes available Currently, schools unhappy with how Ofsted has handled a complaint can appeal to the Independent Complaints Adjudication Service for Ofsted, which will determine whether the complaint was handled properly. However the new ICR will be able to consider whether the outcome of the complaint is “fair and reasonable”, with access to unredacted inspection evidence. Schools will be able to contact the ICR at the end of Ofsted’s internal complaints process and after their inspection report card is published. The ICR will report findings and recommendations back to the complainant and chief inspector, and will be able to recommend Ofsted looks at a complaint again. This will include where decisions relate to the inspection process, Ofsted said. If the ICR makes a recommendation about a grading decision, the watchdog can arrange for a new inspection to be carried out “as soon as possible”. ‘Committed to openness’ Chief inspector Martyn Oliver said while he was “confident” existing complaints procedures are “robust”, he is “fully aware that this confidence is not shared by everyone in the education sector”. “I hope that by adding a new level of independent oversight to our complaints process we will further increase trust in the system. “I am committed to openness and transparency in everything Ofsted does, so if the new ICR service finds cases where we have not acted reasonably and fairly, I will be open to the challenge and will take appropriate action”. According to the Association of School and College Leaders, a quarter of complaints taken to Ofsted have an aspect upheld. Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of ASCL said: “We look forward to feeding back to Ofsted on how this new service works in reality. However, it’s important to realise that this will not address the central issue of why so many schools feel compelled to complain in the first place.” The NAHT, ASCL and the National Education Union all passed votes of no confidence in Oliver’s leadership of Ofsted in the past week. It came after an independent evaluation of the new inspection framework found almost nine in 10 schools feel new inspections are having a negative impact on staff wellbeing.